Summer 2022 proved sweeter for the City of Southside as the village on the Coosa debuted its highly anticipated waterfront park. Lovingly coined Southside Landing, the park beckoned residents and visitors to its pristine property on May 1 – and it has been smooth sailing ever since.
Residents frequented Southside Landing this summer, as the community embraced the waterfront park with an enthusiastic celebration of the city’s latest attraction. From boaters and fishermen enjoying the river to children laughing on the playground, people treasure the new jewel on the Coosa each day.
Southside Landing offers a little reprieve for everyone, including a boat launch, pier, playground, picnic tables and restrooms. Blackstone Bait Shack – a tangent of local beloved restaurant Blackstone Pub & Eatery – is in the process of opening soon.
The concept for Southside Landing arose when the previous mayoral administration took the initiative to purchase property for a boat launch, pier, bait shack and boat slips. When current mayor, Dana Snyder, entered her new position, she began discussing the plans formerly in place as one of her top priorities – determining to finish the park and open the space to the public.
Children frequent the new inclusive playground available at Southside’s waterfront park.
“Southside Landing is the gateway to our city,” said Snyder. “It is a place to gather, play, read, relax, exercise and eat – any day of the week. It offers residents and visitors alike a place to enjoy our beautiful river and soon, a place to hang out, with food and drinks! We will continue to improve it yearly.”
Snyder elaborated on these potential improvements, describing the growth she envisions for the space and Southside overall. She foresees future developments on the horizon, including further retail establishments and restaurants, alongside additions to the playground or walking trail.
She hopes to incorporate outdoor exercise equipment in different spots along the path for all ages to enjoy as a motivating factor for children and adults alike to practice healthy habits and exercise outdoors. Purchasing shades to cover the existing playground and the patio at Blackstone Bait Shack emerge as another endeavor. And Snyder is discussing plans for a possible kayak launch on the Landing’s back side, to provide easy access to present kayakers, while sparking an interest in the activity in others.
As locals soak in the sunshine during summer months and indulge in the recreation at their fingertips at Southside Landing, Snyder shared that the waterfront park transcends seasonal appeal. With city- and county-organized events scheduled from month to month, Southside Landing holds the potential to become a beloved tourist destination in Etowah County year-round.
Small tournaments have already launched from the Landing, with the city’s first sponsored tournament debuting on Sept. 17. Plans for Southside’s collaborative Christmas Boat Parade, hosted alongside Rainbow City, is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 10.
Southside on the move
Southside Landing marks the beginning of a “New Southside,” according to Snyder, who discussed how the park intwines with the city’s innovative progress. As Southside Landing attracts tourism and creates a safe, pleasant space for residents, Snyder and her team strive to implement updates citywide.
A couple overlooks the Southside Bridge on the pier at the waterfront park.
With the incentive of providing better and more efficient services to citizens and businesses, Southside recently upgraded its city’s software and procedures, including a pay scale that offers more incentive for employees.
A paving project – affecting over 30 city roads – is almost complete, coinciding with the city’s plans for initiating its own garbage service.
A new fire station, which will accommodate the growing need of health and safety services and establish a place for the city’s first responders to serve residents and businesses is in the works.
Next is the expansion of Southside’s police department. Snyder announced that Southside almost has completed its strategic plan, which will provide the city and its officials with essential information in designing blueprints for future development and boosting economic success.
By improving its infrastructure and services, Snyder said, Southside will be ready for the future growth that is expected throughout its city in the near future.
“Southside Landing is here for residents’ use, because of the hard work of the past and present administrations,” said Snyder, noting that the efforts of dedicated individuals who understood the park’s significance and brought such success to fruition.
“The past administration took an opportunity presented to them and purchased the land with a vision for development of a boat launch and facility to provide public access to the Coosa River – our biggest asset for tourism and citizens. We want everyone to enjoy the park and have fun, while taking pride in Southside Landing and treating it with respect.”
Snyder welcomed the community to experience Southside Landing for themselves, celebrating the improvements taking place throughout the city and looking forward to those yet to come.
She invited residents and interested individuals to share their thoughts with her on the project, noting that her open-door policy remains intact, as does her passion for the lovely city she calls home.
A wife’s birthday gift to her husband now a Logan Martin treasure
Story by Paul South
Photos by Mackenzie Free and David Smith
This is a Pirate Island love story.
Don’t panic. This isn’t one of those cheap, 1980s bodice-ripper novels with Fabio and Morgan Fairchild lookalikes on the cover. After all, this is a family magazine.
This is a love story close to home – not set in Tahiti or Jamaica – but right here on Logan Martin Lake. It’s the story of how Laurie Regan’s birthday gift to her husband Jim turned into a gift for anyone who’s ever visited the 50 by 75-foot Pirate Island, a popular meeting place for families on the lake.
It’s not unusual to catch the marvelous aroma of cheeseburgers – yes, in paradise – or frying fish, or to hear an island song of laughter as children raid the island treasure chest for trinkets.
That’s just the way Jim and Laura want Pirate Island. They own the island, but it’s a gift to all who love the lake.
The view on any given weekend
Laurie’s 2008 birthday present to her husband was not without its challenges, including a summer rain.
“I tell ya, wrapping it was a pain.”
And how did she wrap it?
“Sadly, it was crepe paper. We had a big storm after we got it all decorated.”
President of the Pell City Library Guild, Laurie was discussing Jim with a board colleague. “She said, ‘You know, my husband and I have an island.” As Laurie says, “That’s a conversation starter.”
The two women discussed the island and the possibility of the Regans buying it or sharing ownership with the sellers. But Laurie knows her husband. “An island is a one-owner kind of deal,” she says.
A month later, the unique birthday gift was bought, the deal sealed. It beats the heck out of a tie.
“I always loved the island,” Jim says. “I’d take nieces and nephews out there to go seashell hunting.”
To orchestrate the surprise, Laurie enlisted the couple’s niece, Abby, who was soon to return to college at Belmont. She coaxed her uncle into “one last boat ride.”
The island the day before was festooned with crepe paper and ribbon and balloons. Now, it was in tatters, thanks to a Logan Martin monsoon. But a koozie she handed him rescued the surprise. It read, “Welcome to your island.”
Immediately, Jim Regan dove off his pontoon boat and swam to the island – his island.
“I kissed the beach,” he says. “There was a lot more greenery back then. You could not walk across that island. It was totally overgrown.”
In the years since, the island – and life on it – has changed. And the Regans’ gift became everyone’s joy.
Three barge loads of vines, overgrowth, broken bottles and trash were hauled away – Phase 1 of a simple mission, Jim Regan says.
Palm trees and flowers were brought in along with hundreds of yards of sand and rip rap to protect the island shoreline against erosion. “Let’s try to make everyone fall in love with it,” he says.
And over the years, they have. The Logan Martin community has made Pirate Island a regular summer stop. On a typical weekend, some 30 boats tie up there. On holiday weekends the fleet expands to more than 40 vessels.
The island features a grill, a kiddie pool, palm trees and flowers, a hammock and a treasure chest, filled with trinkets that will, in the years to come, trigger precious, lingering memories. The island’s first chest was a bright orange Home Depot bucket, that would soon be replaced by a metal chest anchored by gold-painted rocks and filled with Mardi Gras beads and other trinkets.
But boys being boys, they’d dig deep in the chest to discover “gold.” And the chest was replaced by a small, metal box, adorned with a three-masted schooner and painted to give the look of weathered wood that’s there today.
In the wake of the toil and sweat invested to bring the island to its treasured state, Laurie Regan points out that sometimes wives give husbands gifts to keep them out of their hair – something like a new set of golf clubs.
Whimsical additions
“(The island) was my equivalent to a nice set of golf clubs, “she says. And Laurie’s gift of love to Jim – and Jim’s labor with others to transform Pirate Island – has turned into a treasure for all who cherish Logan Martin.
“It’s selfish in that you couldn’t possibly see this many wonderful, happy faces and families being together. It’s just a joy to go out and sit on the boat and watch them have such a wonderful time.
“(For kids) it’s a bit of a rest for their parents and they can play … It’s a pleasure. It really is.”
For Jim, Pirate Island is a thank-you gift in return for a blessed life. Pirate Island is the birthday gift that keeps on giving.
“When you’ve been fortunate, there’s a pull to give back. And it does feel good to try to give something back,” he says. “Whenever we run into someone on the island or run into someone who knows something about us and the island, they’re thankful. They’ve had great and meaningful times out there – and boy, it feels good.”
Kyle Anderson of Pell City, owner of Pro Handiman, LLC, has worked with the Regans improving the island and recently finished building a Tiki bar, complete with a thatch roof, and adding more sand and flowers.
He calls the island, “a labor of love.”
And that love, like the laid-back spirit of Pirate Island, is contagious.
Anderson remembers taking his young son, Asher, to the island after catching a 30-pound catfish. He showed him the process of catch-to-table. They fileted the fish and took eggs, flour and cornmeal to Pirate Island for a fish fry.
“I always think of that when I think of Pirate Island,” he says.
The Regans recalled meeting a grandfather on the island, with grandkids crawling all over him with the water and joy flowing over him.
“This is our time,” the grandfather said with a big grin.
It turns out the grandfather had visited Pirate Island many times. But one visit in particular shone like the midday sun.
“The guy asked his wife what she wanted to do for their 50th-wedding anniversary,” Jim recalls.
Her response? “I just want to be on that island all day.”
Eight seconds. It doesn’t sound like long – unless you’re atop a bucking bull whose sole goal is for you not to be there.
Story by Eryn Ellard Submitted photos
Eight seconds. It doesn’t sound like long – unless you’re atop a broncoing bull whose sole goal is for you not to be there.
When Bulls on the Lake heads to Logan Martin, crowds come from near and far to see which cowboy can declare victory amongst his competitors – who can hold on to a bucking bull or bronco for a full eight seconds (or the longest time if no cowboy can hold on for eight seconds), with one hand and without touching himself or the animal.
Sound intriguing? Bulls on the Lake will return for its 7th Annual Rodeo, on the banks of Logan Martin Lake at Lakeside Park Friday and Saturday, July 22-23.
Over the years, countless locals have proudly declared that bull riding is on their list of things they wish to accomplish in this life – their bucket lists. But after seeing a real rodeo in person, most cross that one off their lists and replace it with a less dangerous, safer, feat like summiting Mt. Everest, lumberjacking or sparring with Mike Tyson.
The event is put on by the Pell City Future Farmers of America Alumni Association and is the organization’s largest fundraiser of the year. They have been working long hours since January –planning, organizing and executing the event with the help of countless volunteers, local businesses, sponsors, advisors and rodeo specialists.
Producer of this year’s event is Mike Hale, owner of Triple H Bucking Bulls and Rodeo Co. Hale is responsible for coordinating all the rodeo’s events and contests. In addition, Triple H also sponsors two scholarships each year for the Pell City FFA. The main sponsor of this year’s rodeo is John Deere Trigreen Equipment.
Pell City FFA Alumni President Tori Castleberry says it is a huge family weekend, with events, shows, games and more for all ages to enjoy. “We love that the rodeo is an all-inclusive event – nobody ever leaves disappointed,” Castleberry says.
The Pell City FFA Alumni Chapter is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and uses the proceeds from the rodeo for a host of things throughout the school year, including a wide range of competitions from livestock judging, small-engine competitions, land-judging competitions and so many more.
Many events the Pell City FFA attends each year happen outside of the classroom, so there are transportation costs, lodging and food costs, entrance fees and more. The Pell City FFA officers also attend the FFA National Convention in October in Indianapolis, and the alumni association makes sure that all officers can attend, despite any financial burden a student may be facing.
In addition, the officers attend an officer retreat every June to prepare as a team for the upcoming school year, and the officers also attend the state convention in June where they compete for highly coveted awards, as well as showing the rest of the state what Pell City is all about.
All these events and costs associated with them can add up quickly, so the alumni chapter knew they had to produce something big, something to drive the community to not only come out and enjoy themselves and their families, but also to participate in, get involved with and spend money at – for a strong and dedicated local organization that helps high school students.
Castleberry also noted that the rodeo helps to spark interest and a love for the world of agriculture in the hearts of so many area children, who will perhaps one day also join the ranks of the Pell City FFA. In the 2021-22 school year, the Pell City FFA had 160 active members and is projected to have 230+ for the upcoming 2022-23 school year.
Pell City Agriscience teacher and FFA advisor Ben Castleberry says the sole purpose of the FFA Alumni Association is to provide support to the FFA chapter.
“We are in a special situation in Pell City because our alumni pay for basically all the things we do, and that is because of the money raised from this rodeo,” he said. “No one else does anything like it.”
Friday’s events will focus on the young cowboys and cowgirls, giving them an opportunity to showcase their skills. Admission Friday night is $10, and ages 5 and under are free to attend.
Some of the highly competitive events include Mutton Bustin’ – an event where children under 65 pounds clamber aboard a wild, woolly sheep and try to hold on for six seconds.
In addition, children 5 and under, as well as ages 6-9, can compete in goat tail untying. In this event, children ride a horse to a tethered goat, untie a ribbon from its tail and hold it up, signaling finished. The time limit is 45 seconds. Dummy roping is also a popular event for the younger age groups.
For the more experienced young cowboys and cowgirls, Pee Wee mini bareback bronco riding will be available for ages 6-8, with a six-second time limit.
Opportunities for junior pony bareback bronco riding for ages 9-11, also with a six-second time limit, and senior bareback bronco riding for ages 12-15, with an eight-second time limit, are available.
Young bull riders also will compete at junior level, ages 9-11, with a time limit of six seconds and senior level, ages 12-15, with a time limit of eight seconds. First place in each event and age division will win a belt buckle.
The stock contractor for Friday night’s youth rodeo is 5L Farms. Both the youth and adult bull riding rodeos are sanctioned by the International Professional Rodeo Association and all contestants will be members of IRMA. Youth contestants competing in any event except for bull riding do not have to be members of any rodeo-sanctioning organization.
Saturday’s rodeo will be for sanctioned riders only, and tickets will be $15 at the gate for ages 12 and above, $12 for ages 6-12 and free for children 5 and under. Food trucks, inflatables and other novelty pastimes will also be a favorite among both the young and old, including a mechanical bull. Root beer floats and funnel cakes are also crowd favorites. Stock contractor for Saturday’s events is Circle J&K Cattle Co. They will be bringing all livestock, gates, chutes and other equipment.
After taking a year hiatus in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event kicked back into full swing last year, drawing in over 4,000 in attendance. “The atmosphere was electric,” Castleberry said. “After being apart for so long, everyone was so happy to be able to come out, have a ball and support a great cause. We are extremely grateful for the support and cannot wait to see what this year holds. To see this event come together enjoying a sport we do not get to see often is awesome.”
Castleberry also noted there are many people and organizations, that without whom, the rodeo would not be possible. “I could not do each year without our alumni parents and friends,” Castleberry said. “Cason Davis, is my right-hand man, our amazing ag teachers and FFA advisors, the parks & recreation department at the City of Pell City, especially Bubba Edge, also Mark Hale, the mastermind behind Bulls on the Lake, and most importantly, the support of our local businesses who sponsor this event each year.”
There’s more to July than fireworks on and around our lakes, but of course, spectacular shows always take center stage. Or should we say, center sky?
On July 4, there are plenty of options on the water for viewing fireworks displays to celebrate our country’s birthday.
Logan Martin Lake
Pell City Lakeside Park – Come by boat, vehicle or on foot to this huge fireworks show that gets bigger and better every year. Hundreds of passenger-filled boats fill the lake to see the show that can also be viewed from the park. The fireworks begin at 9 p.m. on July 4.
Wood’s Surfside Marina – July 2 at 9 p.m., fireworks light up the skies over the marina with an impressive show.
Lincoln’s Landing – Festivities at Angler’s Pointe get underway at 4 p.m. with a free concert by Mike Parker, American Idol Season 20 Top-10 finalist. Food trucks and vendors will be set up as well.
River’s Edge Marina will present its fireworks show and event, beginning at 7 p.m. July 2. The fireworks show will end the night. The marina will have bouncy houses, a band, and the restaurant will be open along with their Tiki Hut. Southern Snow and Shaved Ice will be joining the festivities. No outside alcohol will be allowed.
At 8:30 p.m., get ready for the fireworks show at Lincoln’s Landing right next door.
Neely Henry Lake/Coosa River
Coosa Landing – A 4th of July tradition, the fireworks show over the water in downtown Gadsden, this stunning show kicks off at 9 p.m.
Greensport Marina – This show is reserved for entertaining guests of the marina and RV park, but it can be viewed from the water. It gets underway at 9 p.m.
Summer Concert Series in Lincoln
In addition to fireworks all around on both the lakes, Lincoln Parks and Recreation continues its Summer Concert Series at Randolph Park. Held on the third Saturday of the month from June to October from 5 to 7 p.m., the series features all genres of music, and it’s free to the public.
In July, New Ground, a Southern gospel band will be headlining the concert. On Aug. 20, it will be Official Clutch Band, a jazz and blues group; Sept. 17, Allen Tolbert Unit, a bluegrass band; and on Oct. 15, Tremayne will close out the series with its brand of country music.
Series sponsors are Brandon Tate, State Farm, and Natasha O’Konski, Keller Williams.
Christmas in July at Pier 59
Pier 59 will be hosting the 13th Annual Christmas in July fundraiser on July 23. Benefiting the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind Foundation, the proceeds from this event help purchase Christmas gifts for students at AIDB.
You won’t want to miss this day of fun for a good cause. Live music is from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Boat Poker Run launches at noon with hands in by 4 p.m. Registration is at 11 a.m.
A live auction starts at 5 p.m., and there also will be a $5,000 giveaway for $50 a ticket.
As backhoes rumble and workers toil to bring a new sportsplex to life near the banks of the Coosa, no one could blame leaders of the City of Gadsden and Gadsden State Community College if they borrowed a line from a Hollywood classic:
“If you build it, they will come.”
But the new multimillion dollar project – softball and baseball fields, running track, even a Miracle League field for athletes with disabilities – won’t see the appearance of “Moonlight” Graham, “Shoeless Joe” Jackson or Jackson’s 1919 Chicago Black Sox teammates from Field of Dreams.
Instead, the City of Gadsden and GSCC have teamed up on the project, in hopes of hitting an economic grand slam for the city through big crowds flocking to the area for tournaments, for the college through increased visibility and in turn, a hoped-for rise in student enrollment.
“This is a long-term partnership between the city and the college,” Gadsden Public Affairs Coordinator Michael Rodgers said. “They are an important part of the community, and they’ve got some great things going for them.”
Phase 1 of the project – three NCAA-regulation multipurpose athletic fields – has been completed on the former site of the aquaculture pond. Those fields can also be scaled down to accommodate youth sports like soccer, according to Rodgers. A lighted walking trail, concession and restroom facilities and parking are included.
In Phase 2, four existing athletic fields will be renovated and improved. Phase 3 will be the Miracle League Park, where the quiet courage of athletes with disabilities will be louder than the crack of the bat.
The first three phases will total approximately $16 million, with phase three expected to be complete around late spring of 2023. Additional phases will likely occur if the next administration chooses to expand the Park.Work has been slowed by the coronavirus pandemic and accompanying supply-chain issues.The sportsplex is a new chapter in the longstanding partnership between the city and GSCC. The college was founded in 1925 as the Alabama College of Trades. The present-day institution is the result of a merger between the Alabama Technical College, Gadsden State Technical Institute, Gadsden State Junior College and Harry M. Ayers State Technical College. The school now has an enrollment of more than 4,000 students.
GSCC President Dr. Kathy Murphy hopes the project will grow the student roster in tandem with the resurrection of Cardinals baseball, women’s softball and the beginning of a cross-country program.
Cardinals softball and baseball will resume play in 2024. Baseball was shuttered at GSCC in 2011. Softball was discontinued in 2016.
“The opportunity to have the sports complex located on our campus allows people to come to our campus. So first of all, it’s an opportunity for visibility for our college.”
Land for the project comes through a lease agreement between the city and the college. While GSCC provides land and infrastructure, the city provides funding. It’s an example of cooperation and financial stewardship between the partners.
“We understand taxpayers’ money and that they expect us all to be savvy,” Murphy said. “When we think about being savvy, replicating facilities doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. So, the fact that the softball complex will be on our campus … and the fact that the city is going to allow Gadsden State to use one of those renovated fields that they are designing and building as we speak, is going to be exceptionally beneficial to our college.”
Murphy added that while the project property belongs to the college, the city has made the investment in improvement of those fields and the complex.
The fruits of that teamwork between the school and the city create “positive metrics,” says Murphy.
And as for the resurrection of baseball and softball and the expansion of athletics, Murphy believes it is critical to enhance overall student experience and growing the student body.
“We want to increase our enrollment,” she said. “We have many great athletes in our community and in our region and the service area that Gadsden State has here. We want to give those students the ability to continue their athletic career here, and also to come to Gadsden State, where they’ll receive a quality education and be able to continue their academic and athletic careers forward from here if they choose.”
As far as the benefit to the city, Etowah and surrounding counties, youth-sports-related tourism means an economic win, with booked hotel rooms, packed restaurants and crowded stores.
And it dovetails with a three-pronged economic development strategy of tourism, service sector jobs and industrial growth.
“When you bring people to town for whatever reason, they will spend money here, which stimulates the local economy and supports local businesses … That’s sort of the same idea that we used when developing Coosa Landing,” Rodgers said.
Too, the complex will bring more visitors to Noccalula Falls and surrounding river attractions, like the Venue at Coosa Landing, a multipurpose development on the river. As the crow flies, the sports complex is 1.5 miles downriver from Coosa Landing.
The bottom line? The riverfront development effort – from new construction to stocking Noccaula Falls with rainbow trout – aims to turn the Gadsden area into a tourist destination and to enhance the quality of life for locals.
“It’s both something for the community and also to benefit the community as far as bringing people to Gadsden, because this is a facility where we will be able to schedule some of our youth games. Part of the goal is to have a top-of-the-line facility to bring in some statewide tournaments, whether that is soccer, softball or whatever,” Rodgers said.
“It’s also accessible to I-759. It’s easy to get to. So, the longer-term plan is to get this out there to allow us to recruit some of these major traveling statewide sporting events.”
Another benefit will be a healthier community, Murphy said. Alabama lags behind the rest of the nation in the health of its citizens.
“I want to believe that the sports complex will make a difference in the health and wellness of our community as more people get out and exercise and participate in soccer or softball, or baseball, or whatever they choose to do in our sports complex,” Murphy said.
There’s also a larger benefit when considering the long-range impact of cooperative ventures like the sports complex. Borrowing again from James Earl Jones in Field of Dreams: “This field, this game, can remind us of all that once was good, and can be again.”
Murphy put it in a practical context, fitting in these divided days. “We have got to begin to demonstrate to the world how we find solutions together; how we take our resources, and the city takes its resources, and how do we put those resources together and create something better than we were separately.”
The Readmon luxury community to give new life to old name, lakefront site
Story by Carol Pappas Photos submitted
Its name may have historic roots, but The Readmon condominium development coming to Riverside is a brand-new concept for lake living on Logan Martin.
This cutting-edge development of luxury condominiums featuring the latest in amenities sets a new standard for the lake, similar to communities usually found along the Gulf Coast.
It derives its name from the original Riverside, Readmon, which was established in 1882. In 1886, it was renamed and incorporated as Riverside and was St. Clair County’s largest industrial center at the time.
Jones Development, owned by Jeff Jones, hopes to reinvigorate the once thriving area with a development that will attract residents and investors to the Logan Martin shoreline.
Located on the property once occupied by Riverside Marina, The Readmon is a 52-unit community with three complexes of two and three-bedroom luxury condominiums, offering varying designs with standard to wraparound balconies overlooking the water. Ten-foot ceilings and eight-foot doors complement the look and feel of these condominiums, ranging from 1,400 square feet to 1,750 square feet.
The six-acre site includes an outdoor pool, 55 aluminum floating boat slips, electric vehicle charging stations and lakefront gazebo.
The vision for it has been years in the making thanks in part to a vision his father, Chip Jones, developed – Paradise Isle condominiums – located next door to The Readmon. “I’ve always admired my father,” Jones said. He was a building science major at Auburn University, and he moved ahead with his vision despite people telling him “it wouldn’t work.”
Poolside fun included
“I always thought this site was spectacular,” the younger Jones said of his own vision for the family-owned property. “It’s the best place on the lake. My goal was to find as good a project as I could for the site.”
Describing it as a “massive puzzle,” Jones fine-tuned the vision over the years, making it over legal, business and permitting hurdles en route to moving The Readmon from drawing board to reality. Pre-sales have started, and building is expected to begin in August or September by one of the largest general contractors in the state with extensive experience in multi-family developments. Completion is planned for the summer of 2024.
When developing the concept, Jones noted that habits and trends were changing during the COVID-19 pandemic. People wanted to live in a safe environment with a good quality of life. “I can’t think of anything much better than sitting at the lake and looking at the lake,” he said.
Couple enhanced quality of life offerings with the shortage of housing units for sale on the lake, and The Readmon answers the call, in essence creating 52 new waterfront homes.
Jones noted that it is situated on property that was once used for something else – a marina – and could be repurposed to meet the needs of today – kind of like its namesake.
There are certain properties along the lake that are ideal for transforming into new concepts to satisfy new trends and growing demands. “And this is one of them,” he said. “I couldn’t be more excited.”
Its proximity within a few hundred yards of I-20 and U.S. 78 and situated between major metropolitan areas like Birmingham and Atlanta add to its allure. And it offers an opportunity for people to downsize and still live on the lake.
“St. Clair County continues to be one of the fastest-growing communities in the state where young families, retirees and professionals are choosing to call home,” said Don Smith, executive director of the St. Clair County Economic Development Council. “For multiple reasons, homebuilders are struggling to keep up with this desire to live in our communities. This is seen increasing in the City of Riverside and our other lake communities. These areas have great schools, great leadership and so many quality-of-life offerings for the residents to enjoy.”
Jones is no stranger to developing communities in the area. Easonville, Hayden’s Reserve and Images townhomes at Logan Martin are among his company’s projects.
Nicole Anderson of Lake Homes Realty is exclusive agent for The Readmon, and Jones’ son, Coleman Jones, is development coordinator.
The months of July and August can be hot, but so can the fishing if you look in the right places.
The water temperatures are usually in the mid-80s to low 90s, but this is good thing sometimes, and here’s why. Bass have a high metabolism, and they have to eat more this time of year. However, it is important to look in the right places at the right times, and this is my approach.
Usually in July on Logan Martin there are still a lot of fish out deep. Unfortunately, these fish have seen a lot of baits by this time, but they can still be caught. Knowing this, I start shallow in the mornings around docks and grass. I want to cover water fast and efficiently.
Two baits I like to keep in my hand during this time are a frog and swim jig. I’ll usually bounce around four or five different places trying to find the active fish. This is especially true if it is sunny. If you get a real overcast day you can stay shallow a little longer.
Overall, I’ll usually give this bite about an hour, then I’ll normally head out to deeper water. Once I’m out deep, I am looking at my electronics trying to find schools of fish and brush piles. I will idle around in my boat until I find what I am looking for and then start fishing.
Usually, you can find these type places on long points. I’ll look as deep as 30 feet sometimes, but the magic depth seems to be in that 15- to 20-foot zone. Once I find what I’m looking for, I will ordinarily try to get the fish fired up with either a deep diving crankbait or swimbait.
Remember, these fish are typically rather pressured at this point in the year. I’ll either fish exceptionally fast to get them to react to something or slow down to finesse tactics. If I feel like I need to slow down, I’ll either reach for a drop shot or a ned rig. This is great way to get some bites and hopefully get the school fired up.
Now, switching to the month of August, I will fish the same way as I do in July, but you will see some fish start making their way back to the shallows. This is mainly due to fishing pressure and oxygen levels out deep, especially if there hasn’t been much rain. I’ll look for these fish around shallow docks and grass off the main river.
This can be a tough bite sometimes, but if you’re in the right place at the right time it might surprise you. A couple of baits that are a staple for me in August are a Texas-rigged Senko and frog. These two baits are great for getting those finicky fish to bite in the shallowest water. If you can find shaded banks, they can be a big plus, too. Again, these might be the dog days of summer, but there are still plenty of ways to catch fish during these months.
Neely Henry
Neely Henry is great summertime lake. I’m going to break down the lake on how I fish it depending on what area you might want to target.
There are a lot of places to fish that set up well to be successful for July and August. At Neely, usually you can stick to shallower waters these two months and still do well.
If you’re fishing near the mid-section of the lake, there is a lot of willow grass that lines the banks. I will typically keep it simple with just a few baits. Early in the morning, I will stick with either a frog or swim jig. I will try to keep on the shaded banks and cover water to find the active fish.
Once the sun gets up, I will typically start pitching and flipping the grass with either a ½-oz. jig or some type of creature bait. Both are normally a green pumpkin color if the water is clear. If the water is more stained, I will use black and blue a lot of the time.
If I am in this section of the lake, I will generally stay shallow all day – even if the water temps are in the mid-80s to low 90s. The fish tend to live at shallow depths most of the time during these months.
Now, if I’m on the bottom end of the lake, I will kind of venture off the banks. The grass bite will still routinely be good. I will use the frog and swim jig in order to cover water and find active fish.
On the lower end of the lake, docks become a major factor for me. I will usually start on shallower docks in anywhere from one foot to about five-feet deep. I usually pitch a senko under these docks. Locating the docks with brush around them is always a plus.
Later in the day I will fish deeper docks on the main river with a jig. A lot of the deeper docks get overlooked since they take longer to fish. I will keep my eyes on my electronics and look for brush out in front of these docks as well.
Try some of these tips and pay attention to what part of the lake you’re on in an effort to find success this time of year on Neely Henry.
Editor’s Note: Zeke Gossett of Zeke Gossett Fishing grew up on the Coosa River and Logan Martin Lake. He is a former collegiate champion and is now a professional angler on the B.A.S.S. tour circuit and is a fishing guide. Learn more about Zeke at: zekegossettfishing.com. Follow him on Facebook: @zekegossettfishing
Story by Roxann Edsall Photos by Graham Hadley Submittted photos
If you’re not from around here, the sign wouldn’t draw you in, and the name wouldn’t make sense. The building is not an imposing brown boat, nor is it floating in water. The Coosa River is an important part of the story, though. The history is as fascinating as the food is good.
Shirley’s welcoming smile
It’s a story that began in 1930 when E.O. “Red” Thompson decided to play a game of cat and mouse with the local authorities. After a decade of Prohibition, he hatched a plan to open a bar and restaurant.
His first step was to buy and refurbish an old dredging barge and park it 30 feet off the banks of the Coosa River. He outfitted it with a kitchen and tables and chairs and called it “The Ark.” He sold beer for 15 cents a can. Sixty cents would get you all the catfish and hushpuppies you could eat.
Customers to this floating speakeasy could either walk in on the gangplank or tie off by boat. Since the Coosa divided the counties of St. Clair and Talladega, The Ark was not in the jurisdiction of either county.
Local legend tells that if the Talladega authorities were on the way, he’d move to the St. Clair side of the water. If the authorities from St. Clair were on the way, he’d move to the Talladega side.
It was a dance that lasted for the next three years until the 21st Amendment ended Prohibition. The barge eventually burned and sank, and Thompson built a log building on land and reopened the restaurant and bar. When that location also burned, he built the current building in Riverside just south of the Coosa River bridge on U.S. 78.
Bought in the late 70s by retired newspaper editor and publisher Bob and Sylvia Cornett, the new owners operated the restaurant with more emphasis on developing recipes and relationships than on evading the law. They kept catfish as their primary draw but gave the place a more family-friendly feel.
A plate of goodness
The opening of the Talladega Super Speedway in 1969 gave them a whole new clientele and they began to see NASCAR drivers like Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt on a regular basis. Autographed pictures of famous drivers and politicians grace the walls, giving a nod to the global appeal of a great plate of catfish. Recently, comedian Darren Knight was a guest.
Current owner Shirley Abts says they still get some business around race weekends, but it’s not what it used to be a decade ago. “Most of the drivers have their food catered now,” she said. “They just stay in their trailers and have the food come to them.”
Shirley and her (now deceased) husband, Richard, bought The Ark in 2013. They already had the Cropwell restaurant Even Odds when they were approached by Sylvia Cornett. “Sylvia came to me and asked me to buy it. They were struggling, and she said she was going to lose it if I didn’t buy it, so I did,” said Abts. “I had been coming here to The Ark for 30 years, and I didn’t want to see it close.”
Diverse chapters comprise Ark story
The restaurant was used as a movie set in 2019. The producers of the Netflix original, The Devil All the Time, starring Tom Holland, Bill Skarsgard and Sebastian Stan transformed The Ark into a 1960s diner, even replacing the sign with one calling it White Cow Diner, undoubtedly confusing passersby.
Antique cars lined the parking lot. “They came in and put up the sign and took out the air conditioners, fans and light fixtures,” Abts explained. “Then they put up curtains and a lot of 60s décor. Before they left, they put it ‘mostly’ back together,” she adds, with a chuckle. They did pay well enough, according to Abts, to pay the entire staff for several days they were not able to work due to the closure for filming.
2019 was a tough year for Abts, though, with the death of her husband early in the year, followed by a triple bypass surgery for her before the year ended. Then, just weeks after getting out of the hospital, she was told she had to close the restaurant when the pandemic halted in-person dining.
She acknowledges the community as being the blessing that came from that experience. “People supported us through that. People lined up outside for takeout orders seven days a week. And they tipped well to take care of our wait staff,” said Abts. “That was before delivery services like Door Dash and Jack Rabbit. It was so busy that we had to have a waitress go car to car taking orders because our phone was too busy that people couldn’t get through.”
The ’regulars’ and an icon
They have many loyal customers, including some who come every single day. Don’t ask for table six at 11:00; it’s reserved for Joey. He and his wife come in every day, from their jobs at a local auction house.
It’s the loyal customers that keep Sheerie Smith working there. She’s been a waitress at The Ark for over 20 years, starting when she was just 15. Her mom, aunt and grandmother also worked there, so the job has truly been a family affair. “We have a lot of the same customers that we’ve had for so many years,” says Smith. “These people have watched me grow up here. They ask about my kids. They’re family.”
As soon as she bought it, Abts found people who knew the original recipes that the previous owners had gotten away from. Then she rehired people who knew how to make those recipes.
She only buys U.S. farm-raised catfish and slices her produce fresh each day. “The former owners had been using frozen onions and when we went back to fresh cut, we could barely keep up with all the onion rings people wanted,” said Abts proudly. “Fresh makes a big difference in the taste.”
Shirley Abts overseeing
the kitchen with Mary Caldwell
The difference is clearly a good one, as their catfish is listed on the Alabama Tourism Department’s 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die. They were also a finalist in Bama’s Best Catfish Restaurant competition by the Alabama Catfish Producers and the Catfish Institute’s Top Ten Restaurants in America to Eat Catfish.
They’ve recently added a new “Remix” sandwich that features catfish and shrimp with a rémoulade sauce, topped with lettuce and tomato. While catfish is their signature dish, the fish and shrimp combo is what they sell most. “We don’t play when it comes to shrimp,” adds Abts. “We have really big shrimp!” They’ve also added desserts to the menu, currently featuring a homemade cheesecake by local baker Barbara Miller. On occasion, they also have buttermilk pie.
As with any business operating post pandemic, she struggles to keep fully staffed. There are signs at each booth asking people to be patient regarding wait times. It’s worth the wait, adds Abts. “We use fresh food. We don’t precook anything. It’s made to order. That’s why it takes a little while to get your food.”
The tiny sign outside says, “The Ark Family Restaurant.” It’s a family restaurant with a small sign, an unremarkable building, a storied past, but touting a big flavor, seasoned with staff dedicated to keeping it firmly in place in the landscape of their community.
Nearly every weekend of the year, the waters below Birmingham Sailing Club seem to roil with activity from serious competitors in different classes, like Flying Scots and Thistles, to better their standings on a national point system accumulated over the entire year.
“Every race counts,” said David Reich. “A finish in every race counts. That’s the reason it’s more competitive.”
Birmingham Sailing Club members continue to make their names known in the standings. Sally Morris just finished second in the Dallas Flying Scots Women’s North American Championship.
It’s hard to imagine that the vast expanse of water – the widest opening on Logan Martin Lake at a mile – was once a skinny river surrounded by farmland and thick forest 60 years ago.
Sam Caldwell, a thistler from Birmingham, used to take his boat to Lake Guntersville. In 1962, when Alabama Power Company planned to dam up the Coosa River near Birmingham to harness energy for hydroelectric power, Caldwell had a plan of his own.
With an Alabama Power map in hand, he scoured woods, pastureland and hillsides until he found just the right spot. In 1962, he and fellow thistler, Herb Hagler, signed an option on land near where Logan Martin Dam would be built. By December of that year, the purchase was complete “thanks to the help of fifteen foolhardy souls willing to pay initiation fees to a sailing club with no water,” according to the club’s history. Few knew anything about sailing but bought into the vision.
David Reich’s father was among the charter members, and he helps carry on the vision and the legacy today. “Those are the deepest ramps on the lake,” he said, motioning toward the dock and slips. “They were poured before the lake was here.”
Today, 46 sailing events a year are held there on weekends. Membership stands at 150. It offers adult learn to sail classes, junior sailing and fleet racing in Flying Scot, Thistle and Keelboat.
There are Sunday afternoon races throughout the year and one-day regattas once a month during spring and summer months, as well as invitational regattas that bring in entries from all around the Southeast.
Its nine acres on a knoll overlooking the lake also features a clubhouse, fixed and floating docks, parking, paved launching ramps and a lake swimming area.
Planned is an expanded patio and cooking terrace with a clubhouse entrance, named for Reich’s father, Harry C. Reich.
The elder Reich was “charter member, past commodore, visionary, competitor and sportsman,” according to the architectural rendering description. The Harry C. Reich Memorial Project is aimed at improving the use and appearance of the BSC facility and “enhance the entire BSC membership and guest experience.”
It’s just one more vision on that storied horizon.
He loved Louis L’Amour novels, John Wayne movies and his family. He was an honest man who never borrowed money, who helped his neighbors and was strict with his kids. A witty man with a dry sense of humor. A hard worker who believed in giving an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay.
This is how family and friends remember David Shepherd Evans Jr., owner of Greensport Marina, who died March 12 at the age of 91.
He was one of the last two ferrymen to shuttle people and their vehicles back and forth across the Coosa River. The other was his father, Dave Sr., who continued to operate the Greensport Ferry without his son’s help until the late 1950s.
Greensport Ferry 1955
“Dave Sr. took over operation of the ferry in the mid-1940s, and Dad helped him until 1957, when he went to work for Republic Steel in Gadsden,” says daughter Beth Evans Smith. “It gave him time to spend with his father.”
Dave Jr., known as Pop within the family, had told one of his ferry customers that he was going to look for another job because he had a baby on the way. Little did he know that the customer was the personnel manager at Republic. “He told Dad to be at the mill at a certain time, and when Dad got there, the man hired him,” Beth says.
The original Green’s Ferry was located on the banks of the Coosa River across from the home of former Revolutionary War soldier Jacob Green, built in 1832. That’s the same year the ferry was chartered to deliver mail. Pulled first by slaves and later by mules, by Dave Sr.’s day it was propelled with a small skiff powered by a six-horsepower outboard motor. The ferry took folks from Green’s Port (later Greensport) across the Coosa River to a point a few miles from Ohatchee.
The land attached to Greensport Marina was designated a Bicentennial Farm by the U.S. Department of Agriculture two years ago because it has been in the same family for eight generations. Dave Jr. was a direct descendent of Jacob Green, and his grandchildren make up the eighth generation.
The farm
Dave Evans Jr. and
Extension Agent W.D. Jackson
The farm spans three counties and a couple of centuries. It is in St. Clair, Etowah and Calhoun counties. “It was also recognized as a Century and Heritage Farm by the Alabama Department of Agriculture,” Beth says. “Being a Bicentennial Farm is icing on the cake.”
The Century Farm designation is awarded to farms that have been in the same family continuously for at least 100 years and are currently being used for farming activities. A Heritage Farm must have been used as a family farm for at least 100 years and possess historical significance, including at least one structure standing for 40 years or more. Each type of farm must be at least 40 acres, and the owner must live in Alabama. The Green-Evans farm is about 1,200 acres.
Dave Jr. and his father raised cattle and corn, although they downsized their herd after losing more than 400 acres of prime pasture to the damming of the Coosa in 1966. They also had a store at Greensport and at one time warehouses and a post office.
Dam doesn’t stand in his way
“My grandfather built the marina, but my dad and I went with him to the meetings with Alabama Power Company,” Beth says. “My dad had to do much of the physical work on the farm because my grandfather was not in good health. He was a diabetic and so was my dad.”
A visionary back in the 1960s, he could see the marina in that cow pasture, and built it before the waters were dammed and covered the land. “That was just as much Dad as grand,” says Dave III. “They built the marina for my granddad to have something to do in retirement, but it was Dad’s foresight that made it work. He was on a dozer the day they put the plug in (the dam). He went out there to knock a pile of dirt down, but before he could leave, the water was up to the top of the tracks on the dozer.”
Dave Evans Sr. was elected sheriff of St. Clair County in 1958, and the ferry was no longer operational by then. “Dad was a deputy sheriffwhen my grandfather was sheriff,” says Beth. “Hence his nickname at Republic, which followed him when Republic became LTV and then Gulf State Steel, was Sheriff. He was brave and would take on Goliath if necessary. His experience with the sheriff’s office helped us many times dealing with the public at the marina.”
Always on the go
When her father retired from Gulf State Steel in 1993, Beth thought he would be lost, but he never looked back. “He started going to the stockyards with my brother, Dave III, who is a veterinarian, and helping him with the cattle,” she says.
A man who didn’t believe in borrowing money, he had no credit or debit cards. “He believed in paying cash as you go,” she says. “If you didn’t have the money you shouldn’t buy. If he wanted or needed something he could ‘find’ the money because he stuck it away.”
Her brother, Dave III, says their father was the tightest human being he’s ever known. “I’d give him money to keep for me, and I’d get the very same bills back,” he says. “Dad was pretty thrifty with his money. Also, he kept his word. If he said he was going to do something, he’d do it.”
Beth says her father was strong-willed, too. After he retired, he developed a blood clot in his brain. He had surgery and recovered. “He was tough as nails,” Beth says. “He also survived a collision with a loaded log truck on the way home from Moulton Stockyard. He and my brother came out of that without a scratch, but the veterinary truck was totaled, including every bottle of medicine.”
A hard worker all of his life,at the age of 12, he was in the coal mines in Bibb County. His father’s family were miners in West Blockton, Margaret and Acmar.
“My Dad told stories about driving trucks, falling into the coal shoot, blind-folding the mules when taking them from the mines, and that you didn’t kill the rats and mice because they were your best friends,” Beth says. “When the varmints started running out of the mine you had better be right behind them (because) something was going to happen.” Her mother, Margaret, was a hard worker, too. He was devastated when she died of cancer in 2012. “They were very close,” Beth says.
One of his former co-workers at the steel mill, Bill Lankford, says that in the 37 years Dave Jr. worked at Republic/LTV/Gulf State, he never laid out except when he was in the hospital. “When he was on the morning shift, he would always arrive 30 minutes early and make the coffee. He was very dedicated to his family, his co-workers and his job.” The pair were two of the three men who worked in Republic’s pulpit, their name for the glass-walled computer control room.
“He believed in us working at the marina, too,” Beth says. “We never took family vacations unless we visited our relatives in Foley or Tuscumbia.” Dave Jr. furnished CB radios for the family and workers to communicate with each other around the marina, and later low-band business radios in the trucks. Their 199-foot, low-band tower finally fell this year.
Dave III says when Pop retired, he started helping him in his mobile veterinary business. “For the last 20 plus years, he’d go to the stockyards and different places with me where I would do Coggins tests,” Dave III says. “I have fond memories of him just riding with me everywhere and helping me do the paperwork at the sales.” Dr. Dave Evans III has the South’s only traveling federal veterinary lab, and the pair would go to horse sales that needed immediate results on blood tests.
There was no mistaking his love of country. Beth says her dad never missed an opportunity to vote. He told her and her brother that voting was an obligation. “Don’t complain about anything if you don’t vote,” she remembers him saying. “He said many people gave up a portion of their lives for us to vote and many gave their lives. I don’t miss an election! He served in the Air Force during the Korean War but was released early because his father was ill and as an only child, Dad was needed to run the farm.”
An honest man who “told you like it was,” what you saw in him was what you got. “There was nothing fake about my Dad,” Beth says.
A fan of Westerns
“Dave really enjoyed Westerns, and in the 1950s, he would come to our house to watch them on TV with my father while his wife, Margaret, visited with my mom,” says Margaret Green, one of Dave’s cousins. “The mountains around his home prevented him from having TV reception, but on the hill at Lock 1 where I lived, the reception was good. I hardly ever saw Dave without a Western novel somewhere close. His favorite author seemed to have been Louis L’Amour.”
Beth says he read every book written by L’Amour and had more than one copy of some of them. He also read Ralph Compton, the Western author from Odenville, and others, and enjoyed the newspaper and the Shotgun News. His favorite actors were John Wayne and Clint Eastwood.
A strong will
Another attribute that set him apart was his ability to accept the cards he was dealt. One example was the way he quit smoking: cold turkey. “It was like he was a chain smoker one day and the next day he threw the cigarettes away,” Beth says. “Also, from the moment he was diagnosed with diabetes, he knew what had to be done. Momma changed the way she cooked, and daddy stayed on a strict diet. He didn’t have the issues other diabetics have, such as loss of eyesight, amputation of limbs, sores not healing and constant fluctuations in his blood sugar levels. He was diagnosed in 1972-73 and lived with the disease 50 years.”
The blood clot developed in 1993, and Dave Sr. went on a honeymoon period of 10 years without insulin. Then he began to lose weight and had to start on insulin again. “In his last years he had aFib,” Beth says. “He fell out at the barn and lay there several hours before being found. When he went to rehab the second time, he got pneumonia and from then on, his health started spiraling downward. As a result, he had to have care 24/7.”
Dave III probably handled 70-80 percent of the night shifts with Pop the last few years of his life, but his son made sure Pop’s daytime caregivers drove him around various places each day. “I wouldn’t want to be sitting staring at four walls all the time,” Dave says. “Pop’s mental state the last year wasn’t the best, but he still enjoyed conversing with folks.”
Stephanie Evans, wife of Dave III, describes her father-in-law as “one of the most business-minded, innovative people that have been on the property.
“Throughout the building of this RV park, which opened in 2019, my father-in-law was my biggest encourager,” she says, tears welling up at the memories. “He was wheelchair-bound toward the end, but his caregiver would bring him by the office every day. Four days before he died, he said, ‘Stephanie, I can’t see out of this eye, and this side of my face is paralyzed,’ and I said, ‘Pop, do you see the good side or the bad side of me?’ And he said, ‘I always see the good side.’”
Pop would sit in a rocker on the front porch of the office, and Stephanie, who works in the park office, would leave the door open so they could converse. Often, he would have his caregiver drive him through park to see the changes. “He loved to talk to people at the store and boat ramp, especially about the history of the place,” Stephanie says. “He was a pleasant man to be around.”
Stephanie says her relationship with her father-in-law was one of best friends rather than in-laws. “I took him to lots of doctors’ appointments,” she says. “My husband and I had this joke. I used to say to my husband, ‘Your daddy made my day. Sorry it wasn’t you.’ When Pop died, my husband said, ‘Well, gotta step up my game.’”
“My goal is to continue his legacy in how he’d want the property to move forward.”
